זָנָה (za.nah)
za.nah
to fornicate
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 60 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb zanah describes the act of committing fornication or adultery, but it carries a deeper theological weight in the Old Testament. While it literally refers to sexual immorality, often with a focus on female unfaithfulness, its most significant usage is metaphorical. It portrays Israel’s spiritual infidelity as a marital betrayal, where worshipping other gods is equated with playing the harlot.
This figurative sense appears prominently in prophetic literature, such as Hosea and Jeremiah, where God laments His people going after foreign deities. The sources note that the verb is frequently followed by prepositions indicating direction, such as "after" or "with," emphasizing the active pursuit of these illicit relationships. In Leviticus, it also denotes cultic prostitution, linking sexual sin directly to idolatrous worship practices.
The word’s force lies in its violation of covenant loyalty. By using marital imagery, the prophets highlight that idolatry is not merely a legal breach but a relational betrayal against Jehovah, who is depicted as the faithful husband. This vivid language underscores the seriousness of turning away from God to pursue other allegiances.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word zanah carries a heavy weight in Scripture, describing both literal sexual immorality and the spiritual betrayal of idolatry. In the Old Testament, prophets used this vivid language to describe Israel’s relationship with God. When the people worshipped other gods, it was not seen as a simple rule-breaking but as a deep relational wound—a breaking of vows between a faithful husband and his wife.
For your faith life, this reminds us that loyalty to God is foundational. It is easy to drift toward things that compete for our devotion, whether they are idols or simply distractions from our covenant with Him. The prophets’ harsh words were meant to wake the people up, showing that turning away hurts the one who loves them most.
Yet this word also points to the seriousness of grace. God’s anger at betrayal is matched by His desire for restoration. When we recognize where our hearts have wandered, we can return to the One who remains faithful even when we are not. This call to loyalty invites us to examine what truly holds our allegiance.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 60 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- a prostitute13×
- the/ prostitute4×
- you have prostituted yourself2×
- they prostitute themselves2×
- prostitutes2×
- by/ acting as a prostitute2×
- and/ they will prostitute themselves2×
- and/ they played [the] prostitute2×
- and/ they acted as prostitutes2×
- ¿/ like/ a prostitute1×
- you must prostitute yourself1×
- you have acted as a prostitute1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- לִ/זְנ֖וֹת3×
- זוֹנָה֙2×
- זוֹנָ֖ה2×
- זוֹנָ֑ה2×
- זֹנִ֖ים2×
- וַ/יִּזְנ֖וּ2×
- תִּזְנֶה֙1×
- תִּזְנֶ֙ינָה֙1×
- תִזְנֶה֙1×
- תִזְנֶ֣ה1×
- תִזְנֶ֗ינָה1×
- תִזְנִ֔י1×
Key Verses
-
Exodus 34:15
“Don’t make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, lest they play the prostitute after their gods, and sacrifice to their gods, and one call you and you eat of his sacrifice;
This verse establishes the metaphorical use of the word, linking the act of playing the prostitute directly to making covenants with other gods.
-
Judges 2:17
Yet they didn’t listen to their judges; for they prostituted themselves to other gods, and bowed themselves down to them. They quickly turned away from the way in which their fathers walked, obeying Yahweh’s commandments. They didn’t do so.
Here the term describes Israel's repeated spiritual infidelity despite having judges appointed to lead them back to Yahweh.
-
Numbers 25:1
Israel stayed in Shittim; and the people began to play the prostitute with the daughters of Moab;
This occurrence highlights the immediate consequence of mixing worship practices, showing how sexual immorality and idolatry were intertwined in Israel's history.
-
Deuteronomy 31:16
Yahweh said to Moses, “Behold, you shall sleep with your fathers. This people will rise up and play the prostitute after the strange gods of the land where they go to be among them, and will forsake me and break my covenant which I have made with them.
God uses this word to predict Israel’s future rebellion, framing their abandonment of the covenant as a marital betrayal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does zanah mean in the Old Testament?
Is zanah only about sexual sin?
Why do prophets use marriage imagery for idolatry?
Every Occurrence (60 verses across 17 books)
Genesis 3 verses
They said, “Should he deal with our sister as with a prostitute?”
Genesis 38:15When Judah saw her, he thought that she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face.
Genesis 38:24About three months later, Judah was told, “Tamar, your daughter-in-law, has played the prostitute. Moreover, behold,…